Five Things
by The Genius Mage
Summary: They did things for each other, gestures and acts of kindness. Five short stories on Namine, and five on Roxas.
1. Secret Admirer

**Five Things**

_A collection of five Roxas and Namine short stories._

Secret Admirer

Namine sometimes wanted to laugh at herself, but she couldn't help it. Every morning she'd slip on her white dress, anxiety making her stomach twist into a knot. She was always scared that it wouldn't be there, that the vase would be empty.

She raced down the brightly lit stairs of her home in Twilight Town, hand hesitating before opening the door to her front porch.

There, on the purple and blue striped clay vase she had made when she was younger, was a white rose. A relieved smile crept on her face as she gently touched its white petals, softly bending beneath her fingers.

She felt a gentle touch on her shoulder, and she whirled around, grinning, as Roxas hugged her, the light illuminating his features like some sort of angel. He pulled back, frowning at the flower.

"Whoever keeps sending you those is really making me mad. But he has good taste in flowers." He plucked the flower from the vase, thornless, and handed it to her. She smiled, smelling it before tucking it into her white dress.

"I know it's you, Roxas. The day after I met you these started appearing." Namine teased.

Roxas didn't say anything, his eyes just twinkled. "Here, this is for you." He handed Namine a simple gold ring, with the words _My Heart_ and _My Soul _written across the band in cursive. Namine smiled and slipped it onto her finger.

Namine frowned suddenly, looking down. Roxas asked in surprise, "What's wrong?"

"You always give me gifts, but I never give you one." She said quietly.

Roxas frowned. "That's true."

Before Namine could panic he laughed. "I'm just joking. You give me something every single day, and it makes my day perfect."

Namine tilted her head to the side. "What?"

He gently embraced her, leaning with her in his arms against the walls of her house. "Right there. Thank you."

Namine had been smiling when he had hugged her, and she looked confused now.

"What?"

Roxas lightly kissed her. "Every day you give me your smile."

A voice near them said suddenly, "Oh c'mon Roxas!"

Roxas and Namine both grinned as Hayner staggered around near the base of the stairs that led to the porch, clutching his chest, gagging. "I'm gonna puke."

Olette lightly shoved him. "Stop it Hayner, you're just jealous!"

Hayner rounded on her. "What? Me?"

Pence nodded sagely, smirking. "You can see it all over your face."

Roxas released Namine and instead lightly took her hand, leading her down the stairs.

_***_

_Every day without fail there was a white rose in the vase._

_Every day without fail she would give him a smile._


	2. Love Letters

**Five Things**

_A collection of five Roxas and Namine short stories._

Love Letters

The hallways of Twilight High were crowded with kids desperately trying to flee the confined grounds of the school. Namine easily skipped around them, almost as if the kids were purposely trying not to bump into her. Once she reached her locker she smiled, knowing full well what she would see once she opened it.

She wasn't disappointed.

Inside her locker was a folded blue sheet of paper, lying on top of her history book. Picking up the letter Namine opened it and read the familiar untidy scrawl.

_Namine-_

_If all the light in the world vanished and we were plunged into darkness, I wouldn't be scared. Because I always have my light with me._

_Roxas_

She smiled, surprised by the tear hanging near her eye. She rubbed it away as a voice behind her said,

"Aw he sent another one?"

Namine slipped the note inside her bag, closing her locker. "As always."

Olette smiled, clapping her hands together. "How romantic!" Her eyes drifted to Hayner for a moment, who was wrestling with his sports jacket, trying to get it on. She then grinned wider at Namine.

"Well, let's go then."

Even though every Friday there was a different letter inside her locker at school, Namine was a little saddened to know it would have to stop once school was over.

Instead, it didn't.

Her mother handed her a letter at breakfast, and Namine took it in surprise. She opened the unstamped envelope and smiled at the blue paper within its depths.

***

_Every Friday there was a new letter from him, always different, in the mailbox or in her locker._

_Once a week Roxas felt obliged to remind her how much he loved her._


	3. Guardian Angel

**Five Things**

_A collection of five Roxas and Namine short stories._

Guardian Angel

When she was younger, in elementary school, Namine had always loved to draw. She had been drawing a blue sky, though without the sun, when a voice behind her had asked roughly, "Whatcha drawing?"

Even though Seifer was young, he still had that cocky smile that Namine disliked. However, before she could answer, he snatched her notebook and she had watched helplessly as he ruffled through it, laughing. She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, and she stood up to reach for it.

Seifer was a lot taller. He lifted it up easily, laughing loudly at her.

Then he had come.

Seifer was knocked off his feet by the blue end of a Struggle bat. He dropped heavily, landing on his chin. Namine had reached for her sketchbook but someone else was already handing it to her, his blue eyes shining.

"Here." He said simply.

She accepted it with a grateful smile, clutching it closely to her chest.

Seifer leaped up, scowling. "You got your boyfriend on guard duty, do ya?"

He stalked toward Roxas and Namine again, growling, when Hayner and the others had arrived.

Noticing the amount of hostile stares fixed on his face Seifer smirked and turned around, waving his hand. "Whatever. She isn't worth the trouble anyway."

Namine had turned thankfully to Roxas and his friends. "Thank you."

Roxas smiled. "No problem."

"Seifer's a jerk." Olette had agreed.

"Yeah, he's trouble." Pence added.

"Trouble? More like disaster! Someone needs to teach the guy a lesson." Hayner, of course.

Namine had been about to drift off alone when Roxas asked her, "Aren't you in my class? What's your name?"

"Namine."

"Well, Namine," for some reason she enjoyed the way he said her name. "If you go off alone Seifer is sure to pick on you again. Come with us instead."

The others agreed enthusiastically.

Even now, years later from those young days, Namine still regarded Roxas as her guardian angel. If she ever got in trouble Roxas would be right there for her.

***

_Whenever things got bad he was always there._

_Whenever she needed help he pledged to aid her._


	4. Morning Symphony

**Five Things**

_A collection of five Roxas and Namine short stories._

Morning Symphony

Namine awoke to sunlight streaming through her window, illuminating all the white things in her bedroom. She turned her head, yawning, watching the alarm clock that read nine in the morning.

She got dressed, heading down the stairs, when she heard it.

Music.

She tilted her head to the side, confused, as the beautiful music streamed from somewhere in the house.

Was the radio on? Or the T.V.?

She headed into the kitchen, expecting to see her mother with the radio on, when she saw him. A helpless smile spread across her face.

Roxas was playing an electric keyboard she had brought with him, turning to smile at her, the sunlight turning his face to gold. He continued to play until he had finished the melody, then turned and with a flourish handed her a CD.

Namine accepted it, stunned. "You…I…Roxas..."

Roxas grinned. "I wrote that for you." He said simply. Namine just then noticed all the things he must have cooked around the table.

"Roxas!" She said nervously. "What about my parents?"

His shrugged. "They left a note on the fridge there; they'll be back in the afternoon. They're getting groceries or something."

Namine hugged him tightly. "I can't believe you did all of this! How long have you been here?"

"Since about eight in the morning." He smiled smugly.

Namine kissed his cheek. "You're so foolish, you must have been up really early just to make me breakfast!"

"Nah. I would've burned everything prior to the cooking lessons with Olette. But in return Pence and I are going to set Hayner up later today."

Namine smiled, leaning into his arms. "I want to be sure and see that."

He very gently pushed her against the cabinet and kissed her back.

"Now, are you going to go ahead and eat or do I have to make you?"

"Only if you eat with me." She teased.

***

_He never ceased to surprise her._

_He lived for that pleased, surprised expression on her face._


	5. Best Friend

**Five Things**

_A collection of five Roxas and Namine short stories._

Best Friend

Roxas was like the sun to her. He was _always _there.

Or perhaps better. Because the sun vanished behind the clouds, but Roxas never left.

If she wanted to be insane and listen to her wilder side, even if that included skateboarding and ice skating during the rare times Twilight Town received snow, he would be her Daredevil that paved the way.

If she ever felt like just sitting quietly and drawing, he'd be there, simply watching her. But unlike the others she never felt self conscious when he sat beside her.

Whenever she felt like being alone, he would leave. Whenever she wanted company, he would come.

It was like he could read her mind. Namine would do all she could for him, trying to return the favors. He only wanted to see her smile.

Namine knew Roxas could be her best friend, her shoulder to cry on, and the person who knew her better than anyone else in the entire world.

In fact, she only felt complete when she was with him.

Right now they weren't doing much, just sitting on a bench, Roxas eating that blue ice cream that Namine thought was a little too strange tasting for her.

He had his arm around her shoulders, and she leaned against him, watching the people in the park go by.

"Namine?" He asked in between licks.

"Yes?" She answered.

He dropped the stick into the trash beside them and smiled at her again. "You don't look very happy."

Namine blinked in surprise. Rats. She had been trying to hide that from him. "It's just my parents. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, but I will. If you're not happy neither am I." He put on a sad expression.

Namine smiled. "Stop being so dramatic. My parents are fighting, that's all."

Roxas held onto her. "If anything bad happens, you know where to find me" His own parents were divorced,

He very gently let the blonde strands of her hair slide through his fingers like water, grinning to himself. His blue eyes studied hers.

"I'm always here for you."

***

_If she ever felt like doing anything he'd be up for it._

_No matter what she wanted he'd follow her to the ends of the earth._


	6. Tears

Five Things

-Roxas-

_**Oh my GOD. I need some serious help with Roxas's bit. Help me out? I'm doing what my very first reviewer for Five Things said to do. =) Seriously, send me a mail...I'll give you credit. User feedback is really nifty.**_

_*******_

Tears

He had to be strong. If anything was wrong with Namine, he had to help her through it. Seeing her in pain was easily worse than any degree of pain that he felt himself. If Namine got to live happily ever after, even if he wasn't part of that picture, he would gladly let her do it. He placed her happiness above his for all time.

Sometimes, though, it was hard to be strong. Sometimes he needed to cry himself. He tried to hide it from her. He couldn't.

You couldn't hide anything from your other half.

It was like she knew what he was thinking. When he started getting quiet, she wouldn't say anything. Never did. Just performed an incredibly simple gesture, like her hand on his. A hug. She always knew, of course.

They were fighting again. The shouts could be heard from downstairs, and he couldn't stand it. He heard his mom shout in pain. He raced upstairs, trying to block out the terrible pain he was feeling. From both his heart, and his body. An abusive dad...a cowardly mom...and the kid caught in between.

He hid in his room, trying to force the tears back. When your parents fight, it's a dangerous thing. He heard that noise, that familiar noise from the left side of his room. That squeak of an opening window. He knew who it was without looking.

She always knew.

He tried to suppress the tears, but she came anyway. He tried to ignore her, but she wouldn't be ignored. She just sat next to him, her eyes sympathetic, her touch gentle.

She didn't ask. She didn't do anything besides hug him close to herself, and he tried to get control of his breathing. She began to sing quietly, completely ignoring the yelling coming from downstairs, or the wind that whistled through the open window. She was comforting him, as always. But never bringing the issue to the front.

And Roxas did a very simple thing. He turned around, a cried.

"It'll be okay, Roxas." She whispered.

***

_**He thought he had to be strong all of the time.**_

_**She knew even he needed to cry.**_


	7. Injured

Five Things

-Roxas-

_**Thank God! Special thanks to Jayderabbit! Still accepting ideas. **_

Injured

Roxas can laugh at it now, but even the memory still hurt.

It had been a regular summer's day. He had been sitting next to Namine, watching her easily put the fountain she was drawing to shame.

Her picture looked much better.

He had his arm around her shoulders, so casual that anyone might have thought he was just laying his arm on the bench. Namine looked up, caught his eye, and smiled before looking down at the pad again.

"Hey, blondie." A voice sneered behind him.

Before Roxas could even turn around, he felt something hit him in the back of the head, hard. He stumbled forward, hearing Namine's startled shriek, and turned around in time to dodge Seifer's fist. Roxas felt something warm slide down the back of his neck. Blood. But only a little.

He dodged again, just in time for Rai to grab his shoulders. He spotted Namine actually avoiding Fuu, another member of Seifer's gang. Even though Roxas tried his hardest, he couldn't shake off Rai's grip. Then everything got dark.

When he came to, he was surprised to see he was in bed. Roxas groaned, touching the back of his head.

"What happened?" He asked.

Hayner was there, with Olette and Pence in tow. "I don't know. We came in time to see Namine fighting Seifer..."

"Just Seifer?" He asked, confused and startled.

"Yeah. She's pretty hurt..."

Roxas growled, clenching his fist.

"But not too badly." Olette finished hastily, glaring at Hayner. "She said Rai hit your head on the fountain. Vivi said he saw Namine kick Rai...and he fell back and hit his head too. We got rid of Fuu and Seifer though."

"Where is she?" Panic suffused his entire being.

"Right here." Her voice whispered in his ear. He whirled around, surprised to see that she had been sitting behind him in bed all of this time. His head had hurt too much to notice anything else.

Pence grinned, saying something about leaving them alone, and left with everyone else.

Roxas stared at Namine. He had so much he wanted to say to her, so much to apologize for. He had put her in danger, Seifer almost never attacked Namine by herself. He felt horrible.

She hugged him, her perfume swirled around him. She wasn't hurt too badly, just some cuts and bruises.

"I'm glad you're okay." She whispered. Roxas kissed her on the lips, and she returned it, before he started laughing. It hurt his head really bad, but it was worth it.

She frowned. "What?"

"Remind me not to get you angry."

Namine laughed a little too, then said, "If...anything had happened to you..."

"Nothing is going to take me away from you. It'd take more than a fountain to do that." He promised.

***

_**He never forgave himself for allowing her to get hurt.**_

_**Sometimes, though, she had to fend for herself.**_


	8. Perfection

Five Things

-Roxas-

_**Very special thanks to Idiotique!**_

Perfection

Roxas considered himself the luckiest person in the world. How had he ended up with someone like her?

What had made him become fortunate enough to have Namine love him? She was perfect in every way. She had a nice home, a nice family. She was always quiet, and nice, and kind. Putting others before herself, she even worked part time at a charity!

She was like some kind of angel. An angel that didn't fall from heaven, but was sent to make the Earth a better place.

While he…

He was like a demon. Some creature from the dark that didn't deserve her compassion. He came from a bad background, a bad family. Got into fights often. He didn't do part time work, didn't get involved in other people's problems like she did. He probably even made a few worse. Was she only hanging out with him out of pity? Did she just feel sorry for him?

No. Of course not.

There was no way he could have imagined those looks, no way could he have imagined the warm feeling she gave him. He compassionate touch. No, not even his mind could come up with those happy days they spent together…

He felt inadequate in her presence. Like a peasant before a queen. And one day he brought this up with her.

She had only smiled that familiar soft smile he knew so well. She even laughed a little.

"You feel that way too?" Namine asked quietly.

Too? That would mean…How did she get that idea?!

Roxas stared at her in disbelief. It was okay for him to feel unworthy in her presence, but she couldn't feel the same way. How _could _she feel the same way?

"What made you think I'm better than you?" He asked quietly, leaning forward to look into her eyes.

"You're so…brave." She admitted. "And strong. I'm sure there are plenty of other girls who would love to…"

Roxas took her hands, smiling at her with a crooked grin. "But I didn't pick them. I picked you. I actually think I don't deserve you…like with Seifer…I'm just putting you in danger." His heart twisted into a knot, remembering that terrible day. He unconsciously touched the healing cut on the back of his head.

She hugged him then, and he began to stroke her hair. "Roxas, if there is any danger, we'll face it together."

Roxas laughed warmly in return, hugging her tighter. "I think, because we both feel this way, we're absolutely perfect for each other."

***

_**He was a demon, while she was an angel. They couldn't belong together.**_

_**Did she deserve to be in the presence of someone that was like a hero?**_


	9. Rocky

Five Things

-Roxas-

Rocky

Sometimes people get the impression that Roxas and Namine's relationship is flawless, like a well trodden road.

No bumps, no curves. Nothing unexpected. Just sunlit fields and blooming flowers.

However, that is not true. Like any road, and any relationship, sometimes the sun fades and clouds appear. Sometimes silver rain falls. The road didn't have bumps? That was because they had been removed. The rocks had been taken out.

Like now. Roxas was trying to get Namine to talk to him, but she just kept turning her head to the side.

"Namine, please." He begged, taking her hand. To his astonishment she removed her hand from his.

"Roxas…how could you?" She whispered, a tear on her cheek.

"I-I thought you knew. I'm only loosely with them, but sometimes I have to do _something, _Namine. Please, understand." Surely…only she could understand him…?

"Roxas." She whispered, sadly turning her head. "You helped them…rob someone?"

"It was important for the gang! You can't…expect me to…drop everything…"

Namine placed her fingers on his lips. "Please, Roxas. I know. I'm not asking you to leave the gang, and your other friends. I'm really not…" She paused. "But…I don't know…anymore…you said you were worried for my safety, didn't you?"

Roxas nodded mutely.

"Well, how do you think I feel? Having to worry about where you're going when you actually…well…do the jobs they ask you."

"I'm really sorry, Namine." He repeated softly, taking her fingers in his. "Please, understand." He begged in a quiet voice.

"I know you have to. But tell me when you do. We're in this together, right? Then let me come with you."

Roxas's heart skipped several beats. Panic suffused him.

"I can't take you. Imagine if the other gangs…"

"But then how will I know you're all right?" She argued.

Roxas sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't take you with me. I'm afraid of what will happen to you. Besides, I don't want to drag you into the muck with me."

He took both of her hands and stood up, smiling.

"I promise I will come back from each and every mission, even if the Mafia themselves get in the way." He grinned cheekily, and Namine laughed, hugging him. He stroked her hair.

"Okay, Roxas. But don't forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."

Suddenly, a voice called out, "Hey, that's my line!"

Roxas and Namine jumped apart, blushing, to see a giggling Kairi, come to visit from Destiny Islands, sprint by, with Sora in tow.

***

_Sometimes he was torn between his friends and her._

_Sometimes she wished she could go with him._


	10. Smile

Five Things

-Roxas-

_**I'd like to say, special thanks to Lemonadeskies for the reviews. I felt really warm inside. Time to stop being weird, on to the story.**_

Smile

Didn't he say that, at the beginning of the story? Didn't he say that her smile was all he needed?

He wasn't lying.

He never did. At least, not to her. Not anymore. Once he had, and the instant it happened, that little white lie, he had felt so insanely guilty he had called her in the middle of the night to confess, and she had simply laughed warmly.

If Roxas could make Namine smile, or better yet laugh, then his whole day just became perfect. No matter what his parents were doing, no matter what the gang members said, teasing him for hanging out so much with her, if she was smiling, he was happy. If she wasn't, well, he would fix that!

He wasn't like Sora, sometimes resorting to physical humor to get his girlfriend to laugh. No, he had a nice way with words and actions that Namine seemed to enjoy. She felt safe in his presence, and he in hers.

_My fears…my lies…melt away…_

The angel. And the demon.

The hero. And the damsel in distress.

The guardian. And her best friend.

So many names and titles they had for each other, but when it came right down to it, they were just Namine and Roxas, the duo made perfectly for each other. It's what their friends called them, it's what they were.

He just… felt like the whole world should recognize Namine for how impossibly…perfect she was. What was wrong with everyone?! Were they blind?!

Sometimes his own ranting over his girlfriend made him wonder if he was…obsessed with her. But no, he wasn't that creepy. Just…concerned.

He dreamt of asking her…the big question. But he wasn't going to, not until his life was straightened out. He wanted to ask her when he had quit the gang, got a good education…She needed the best things…you know? Even if she disagreed.

Ah, what was he talking about? He still had a few years before life got that serious. He should savor the moments with her, because they might be their last…

_Where did that come from?_ He asked himself. Namine wasn't going anywhere. And to _heck _if he was going to leave her. These morbid thoughts must have come from hanging out with the gang yesterday.

No. All he wanted…was to spend time with her.

Namine peeked over the edge of the snow covered hill, watching the bottom, far below. The others had already slid, and were waving and shouting for them to come down.

She laughed, hugging Roxas, smiling at him. "I can't." She giggled.

Smile number five today. _Bonus points!_

"Sure you can." He urged, taking her hand and stepping onto the wooden sled. He smiled as she wrapped her arms around him and laughed.

"If you think so. You know me best."

Roxas kicked the sled off the hill, and they enjoyed this single, special moment in their lives.

***

_If she wasn't smiling, it was his job to make her._

_Surely he didn't spend his time trying to get her to smile…? It seemed like it._

_**Very special thanks to everyone that's reviewed!!! Maybe, if you want, I'll do a Sora and Kairi story, another Roxas and Namine one, (that might take a bit, ideas y'know), or whatever else. Feel free to **_**ask!**_**I love suggestions! I'm very pleased with how this story came out!**_


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